Reply
Sat 13 May, 2017 11:57 am
DS turns 5 on August 5th and the cutoff in our area is September 1st. He should be starting Kindergarten in the fall, but his preschool teachers have been advising me to wait a year. Even though we can financially afford another year of pre-school, I really want to send him on time.
For me, it's long-term, not short-term. Redshirting means that he'll still be in high school when he's 18. It also means that he'll start his career a year later than most people. Yes, I know some people are going to talk about Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, but as a parent, I feel like it's my duty to teach DS that he doesn't need trophies or to always be the best in order to be happy.
I also want him to fit in and not feel out of place. I can only imagine how awkward it would feel for him to be 6, while some of his classmates are still 4, 7 while some of his classmates are still 5, etc. His classmates might think there's something wrong with him if was a year older than them, and I'd hate for him to have bad reputation for something that not his decision, but ours.
Also, I strongly believe that the cutoff dates are there for a reason. If kids born in August kids truly weren't ready to start Kindergarten at 5, the cutoff would be earlier. The people laying the cutoffs have done thorough studies to figure when kids should start Kindergarten. They know what they're talking about and I feel like it would be arrogant to act as if I knew better.
@leasoap,
Quote lesoap:
Quote:DS turns 5 on August 5th and the cutoff in our area is September 1st. He should be starting Kindergarten in the fall, but his preschool teachers have been advising me to wait a year. Even though we can financially afford another year of pre-school, I really want to send him on time.
For me, it's long-term, not short-term. Redshirting means that he'll still be in high school when he's 18.
Most kids are 18 when they graduate high school. Even if redshirted, your child will be graduated when he turns 19, so that's not a big issue.
Since your son was born near the deadline, it's a case of him being six months younger than the average if he goes on time, or six months older than the average if he's "redshirted". There's no right or wrong answer, no reason to think he won't be fine either way.
What are the reasons that people you know say it's a good idea to redshirt him?
@leasoap,
Quote:his preschool teachers have been advising me to wait a year.
Perhaps you could discuss this more thoroughly with the teachers.
Never heard the term redshirt, (in that context,) but there is evidence younger children do worse than their older classmates.
Quote:With evidence continuing to mount that children born at the beginning of the school year do much better than their younger peers, what can teachers and parents do?
Most people know the rhyme about Monday's child being fair of face and Tuesday's child being full of grace.
If somebody was to revamp the rhyme for months, it might read: "September's child will be a success while August's child will have all the stress."
There is a substantial and growing body of evidence to back up the claim that children born in certain months do better at school because they are the oldest in the year.
The best months to be born to ensure your child is physically and emotionally head and shoulders above the rest of the class depends on where you live in the UK.
A child's age on 1 September determines the point of entry in England and Wales, whereas it is 1 July in Northern Ireland. In Scotland, all those born between March of a given year and February of the following year are placed in the same group.
The latest research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) focuses on England and looks at the test scores and happiness levels of August-born children compared with their older, September-born peers.
It found children born in August scored substantially lower in national achievement tests and other measures of cognitive skills.
At the age of seven, they are more than three times as likely to be regarded as "below average" by their teachers in reading, writing and maths.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15490760
@leasoap,
I would ask the teachers why they suggest he stay back another year. I know many boys that were on the young end - like your child that are held back. Usually this is because they are less mature than others in his grade--this is very common among boys who tend to mature later than girls.
If that is the case, he might have difficulty with kindergarten -- maybe he has a harder time sitting still which may be required at his kindergarten, maybe they expect him to know his alphabet already before getting into kindergarten and he doesn't (just to give some examples).
Both my daughters are born in the fall so they are both older than most of the kids in their grade - one born in September so she is not much different than your son. Both will graduate high school at 18. I don't see this as an issue - I have found it easier for them to be a little bit older than their peers.
In reality it isn't a year behind - on average it is more likely 6 months -- but he may only be a month or two older than many of his peers in school.
You need to speak to the teachers and administrators of the school.
Delaying the start is good for some, not so much and unnecessary for others.
My niece, late October birthday, began 1st grade before she was 6, top student, graduated 2nd in her high school class, went on to NYU, no problems.
Her brother, who is also late October, started a year 'late'. The school had suggested it. The issue was his maturity level, not his intelligence. He ended up making up for lost time, finished college in 3 years instead of 4.
I attended school with many people, 1 I recall had a December birthday and to top it off, she was also a year ahead of people born in her birth-year.
Every child is different and in the end, the parent(s) or guardian(s) must make the decision of whether the child is ready or not.
@Sturgis,
@Sturgis In my state, like most states, the cutoff is September 1st, so kids born in October wouldn't be allowed to start until they're almost 6. If I had a fall child and we lived in an area with a winter cutoff, I would strongly consider redshirting them, as they would not be eligible to start in most states. However, DS is eligible to go in our state as well as the vast majority of states, so I see no reason not to send him.
And just like with your nephew, I'll probably push him to work hard enough in high school so he can enter college with sophomore status.
I barely went to kindergarten; my family moved often, war years, certain posting places, hardly saw other children. I might have only had a month or two in kindergarten after we landed in Los Angeles and before I was signed up for a catholic school first grade. I was about to turn six, but I was quite unsocialized, shy as can be. I remember screaming when I was brought to enter the first grade class, through a small entry room, my mother leaving.
I had liked the kindergarten I had, I think, remembering the fingerpainting. I also walked toward my aunt's house, the time the keepers forgot me after recess. I caused quite the uproar, so early in life.
I think I've posted early photos here, under my ossobuco (no temp) name, but not sure they still exist.
On the poster question, I've no strong opinion. I'd assume the family situation matters.
@ossobucotemp,
I'm not sure, by now, if it was the same day or not, that one of the children got on a platform and sang - a kind of combined memory.
@leasoap,
You haven't answered the question . .. why do the teachers suggest this . ..that really is the key.
I also don't understand the hurry. I mean kids only get to be kids for such a short time. Why push tgem if they aren't ready?
If they are it is a different story. My oldest daughter went to school with a couple boys when she was in kindergarten. I know a boy held back due to maturity and one pushed forward because he was gifted. Both are doing fine and no one including them seemed concerned. They are all graduating high school this year and neither the one ahead or the one behind feel they gained or lost anything.
Basically you simply should do what is best for the particular child.
@leasoap,
leasoap wrote:The people laying the cutoffs have done thorough studies to figure when kids should start Kindergarten. They know what they're talking about and I feel like it would be arrogant to act as if I knew better.
the studies are not about your son. they are about a large group of unknown children. the results are general, not specific.
the question is about a specific child - your son.
talk to the preschool about why they are recommending a delay in starting kindergarten. talk to the kindergarten teachers at the school your son might attend about their requirements.
don't worry about what anyone else's age is, or what will be happening in 5/10/15 years. is kindergarten appropropriate for your son now?
@leasoap,
leasoap wrote:I also want him to fit in and not feel out of place. I can only imagine how awkward
try to step back from how you would feel/what you imagine etc
talk to the preschool and kindergarten teachers about what is the right thing for your son
@izzythepush,
@izzythepush
I think that only applies in elementary school. A few months can make a huge difference in early elementary school, but in high school, a few months really isn't that big of a deal.
And besides, I think by "younger peers," the author might be talking about children who were grade-skipped rather than kids who are simply on the young end. But even if he does mean kids who are on the young end, well, I'd rather my child learn how to work hard early on. Either way, I'm not concerned, because by high school, those few months won't make much of a difference, and in college, they'll make virtually no difference. The older you get, the less of a difference there is in age.
@leasoap,
You seem unwilling to consider evidence that does not support what you want to do.
Apparently you want what you want, regardless of what is appropriate for your child.
If you care about what is best for your child - speak to his current and future educators.
@leasoap,
leasoap wrote:I think that only applies in elementary school.
are you a professional educator? an academic in the field of education?
@leasoap,
You're making a lot of assumptions based on little actual knowledge. In England the cut off point is 1st September. A child born 31st August will start school a year sooner than one born the next day. His classmates born in September will be almost a year older, and they will do better than him. That's what the author was talking about, not "grade skipped kids."
We have very few grade "skipped kids," kids don't repeat years, they're not expected to pass years, and they can all leave school at 16 regardless.
@izzythepush,
Okay, but the older kids doing better is most prominent at the beginning. It makes sense. a 6-year-old is 1 1/5 as old as a 5-year-old, which is huge, but a 16-year-old is 1 1/15 as old as a 15-year-old, which isn't so big. Studies have shown that the differences disappear by high school and vanish completely by college.
@izzythepush,
Here are links to show that I'm not making things up.
https://austinfamily.com/is-so-called-kindergarten-redshirting-a-good-idea/
In this link, it states that "by college, relatively older students consistently lag behind".
https://www.parentmap.com/article/redshirting-should-you-or-shouldnt-you
In this link, it states that "by college, younger students repeatedly outperform older ones in any given year.".
https://www.noodle.com/articles/redshirting-kindergarten-what-to-consider
In this link, it states that "Studies show whatever gains are achieved by redshirting disappear by the end of elementary school, and then disadvantages may even begin to appear.".
https://www.noodle.com/articles/redshirting-kindergarten-what-to-consider
In this link, it states that "whatever gains may exist in the early elementary years disappear by the end of upper elementary school.".
http://www.joannejacobs.com/2017/04/redshirting-may-do-more-harm-than-good/
In this link, it states that "The academic advantages of being older disappear by high school".
So in the long-run, it won't really matter. Besides, school isn't a competition. It's a learning experience. What's important to me is that he does well for himself. How he measures up to other kids just isn't a big deal for me. You don't have to be the best at everything in order to be happy.
@leasoap,
You're not really interested in an answer, just in confirming what you already believe. If you look hard enough for something you'll find it, especially on the bloody internet. Instead of tracking down numerous articles to score points against me you should be thinking what's best for your kid.
I don't really know enough about your system to comment, but the fact remains that over here a government backed body found that younger children do less well than their older classmates, throughout the years, not just in primary school.
You will believe what you want to believe and do what you want to do, just don't kid yourself that it's based on anything other than your gut.
I do not think the age makes any difference what ever kindergarten, preschool or later. I did not notice, my daughter did not.
What makes me think is the "I'd rather my child learn how to work hard early on. " It even comes up twice. That sounds like a very pushy mother and pushy parents are worse than age difference.
Helping your children and see to that they develope according to who they are is something else than teach them how to work hard.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace